Taking Chances
by Twitz
Summary: Mayama and Rika are getting married, this leaves Yamada more heartbroken than ever. The question is, can Nomiya still save her from the pain she's feeling? Twoshot!
1. Her Tears

**Disclaimer: I don't own Honey and Clover!!! ^_^, please enjoy reading!**

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How do you take the pain and suffering from her?

How?

This question has been in my mind ever since the day I learned that the one she loves doesn't love her back, and will never.

Everytime I look into her eyes, I can see a glint of sadness. I know that she's a strong woman, but sometimes she isn't, not because of the fact that she can defend herself, but because she can't shield her heart from getting hurt, getting hurt from the one and only person she loves the most.

But I couldn't do anything, I couldn't do anything to make that pain disappear...

----

It was another ordinary day at the college when I decided to go and drop by for a visit. Like the usual, she's in the pottery room again, being at her best when it comes to making those pots for our company. But that day was the first time that I saw her _cry_.

Of course I know the only person that can make her cry is _him_ and no one else, but I've never seen her in this situation so close before. Then and there, I felt her pain, and I wanted to take that pain away from her, even if it means hurting myself more. I mustered all my courage to knock on the wooden door, because I wanted to make her stop crying, so badly, but before I could, Morita already made his way inside. Didn't he even see me? Well, even if I don't know him that much, I could tell he's an idiot, but a _caring_ idiot.

He gave her a bottle of soda, and told her to stop crying. Thank God. I probably couldn't even go near her and say those things, I was too shy to do so. Yup, the great me, Nomiya is shy! But anyway, Morita just became my idol. Why? Because like me, he wanted to comfort Yamada as well, not because they were already close friends from the beginning, but because he too, wanted his friend to stop crying and get over him.

Someday when I see her crying like this again, I'll surely go near her and do what Morita did, and hug her, so I could feel those painful beats in her heart.

----

"Hey Morita, who's that outside?" her eyes were already swollen as she lifted her face and pointed at the door,

"Oh! Oh oh oh! It's Nomiya!!!" he replied as he rushed over to the door to let him inside,

"Hi Nomiya!" he greeted him with his usual goofy face,

"Oh, hey there Morita," his voice seemed to be sad, Morita thought,

"You want to see Yamada right?"

_He sure got me there._

"Yeah... Is she okay? She seemed upset earlier..." it was obvious that he was lying, and Morita was aware of it no matter how he made his voice clear and fine,

"Well... I'm sure you saw her crying right? Come inside, I'm sure you want to cheer her up too."

Nomiya just nodded and smiled at him as he made his way to where Yamada was sitting.

She was all curled up in her own pale arms that she didn't notice the sound of the footsteps that were nearing her.

"Hello Yamada," he greeted her as he too, a professional guy like him, sat on the floor which was a bit dusty,

"Oh... It's you Nomiya..."

_Please, it's okay for you to show those tears... Please, stop hiding them when it's already painful..."_

"Please excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom for a while."

_It's okay Yamada... Just cry and cry until you feel better... Those tears, they are made to ease our pain._

Fifteen minutes had passed, but still, Yamada didn't come back, but it was a good thing too that Morita was still in there to keep Nomiya company.

"I doubt she'll come back..." Morita suddenly said to him,

"What do you mean?" Nomiya replied with a puzzled face,

"Didn't you know?"

"Know what?" he just became more puzzled,

"Mayama and Rika..." he was still reluctant to say it to him,

"What about them?" he was already expecting him to say it,

"They're getting married,"

"What??? Well... That should be expected... Since Mayama is so persistent..."

"Guess you're right... Poor Yamada... She's been like this ever since Miwako told her..."

"I see..."

Silence built up between the two men closest to Yamada's heart. Both of them wanted to comfort her.

"I've got to go now... I still need to finish something at the office. Just tell Yamada that I'll call her," he got up and switched his phone on to see if there were messages, but it was just too trick Morita and pretend he was busy, but it was obvious from his eyes anyway.

"Sure, thanks for dropping by too."

From there, the two men bid each other farewell.

As he exited and got inside his car, his eyes were up at the gloomy sky, and at the rooftop, he saw someone. It was Yamada, staring at something from above.

"Must be spacing out..."

Was she really spacing out or was it just his imagination that she was about to jump from the bleachers? His eyes widened and he immediately opened his mouth.

"YAMADA NO!!!" he tried his best to make his voice louder, and it was enough to make her snap out of it, she almost tripped on her way back.

Nomiya immediately ran back upstairs to go to her, and when he did, she wrapped herself with her own arms.

"I... I can't take it anymore... It's too painful..." she was crying as she said this, tears dropping from her eyes.

On impulse, Nomiya ran to her and hugged her, as if it would be the first and last time he could do so.

"No Yamada... Please don't kill yourself... I can't live without you..."

"Those would've been the same words I'd say to him if he gave me a chance..."

"Yamada... There's still someone out there who can love you as much as you loved him... Please..."

She didn't reply anymore, but just buried her head in his chest, which was warm and welcoming. But those painful tugs inside her heart were way more powerful than his soothing voice.

"I'm just here Yamada... I'm here if you need a shoulder to cry on, anytime you want..."

Unknown to her, Nomiya too, was crying in her back. If she felt sad, he felt even sadder, because he couldn't stand seeing her crying and hurting like how she was now.

He let her stay in his arms for a while, when she first broke the hug.

"The-thank you... Nomiya..."

"It's okay Yamada, I'm always here if you need someone."

Yamada just smiled at him and said goodbye, and said she'll be going back to the pottery room to finish her work.

"Oh God... I wish I could do something to make her feel even better..."

As he arrived back to his apartment, he quickly opened his email to see if there were mail from their clients, but to his dismay, there was none. But, there was one from Mayama.

"That jerk, too lazy to send a formal wedding invitation that he did it using email... I shouldn't have given him my address if he'd use it for purposes, painful to Yamada like this one..."

_You are invited to witness the unification of Mayama Takumi and Rika Harada... BLAH BLAH BLAH_

"What am I saying? I can't be selfish! Those two are my friends... I should be supportive... Yeah... That's it... Hmm... The wedding's gonna be on... January 21, that's sunday right? Should I go or should I not?"

He was just confusing himself, but he decided to go anyway, since it was just two days away.

"I wonder..."

He left his words hanging, unsure of what he'll say next.

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Decided to write something a little bit different, so I thought of making this one... Please R&R if you could and wait for the next chapter. ^_^**


	2. There's Still a Chance

**Hi! It's just now that I'm finally able to finish this. If ever you've been waiting for an update of this fic, well, here it is! Thanks for reading and please don't forget to R&R!**

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Ding. Dong. Ding. Dong.

"Man… Those bells just creep the hell out of me everytime they go ding dong!"

Nomiya was shaking, his eyes were like on the run, and it was like he really wanted to get out of there as soon as he can, not that he wasn't a Christian, he just had a bad experience with bells.

"Let me tell you something," said the grinning Miwako whose glasses were literally sparkling.

"I wonder what's in her head again…" a co-worker thought to himself as he looked at Morita, Takemoto and Hagu who nodded in response.

"You guys all know that I and Nomiya were childhood friends right? You see, a few years back when I was still in junior high, my parents decided to remarry, I don't know what got into them but they really did it. Nomiya's parents were invited as well. While we were at the church, I lured Nomiya to the upper part of the church where the bell was at by tricking him that there was a blue print of the church there."

"Whoow! Don't tell me Nomiya was that fascinated with designs already?" Takemoto said, to which Miwako replied by nodding.

"Yup, at such a young age, he already was! Okay okay let me continue, where was I? Oh yeah, after tricking him, he got so disappointed when I told him it was just a lie, but, nevertheless, he was really awed and pleased to see the beautiful view from there. He told me to close our eyes and just picture it again in our minds so we could absorb the feeling more, and so I did. The next thing I knew, he wasn't beside me anymore. So, guess where I found him?"

"Where?" the gang chorused.

"He was hanging at the rope of the bell! Hahahahaha! His face was so hilarious that time that I forgot he was already in great danger!"

"Miwako that was mean!" Hagu cried out as she could already picture out Nomiya's expression and how scared he was.

"Heh, if you were there Hagu you probably laughed your spirit out! But anyway, it was a good thing I wasn't a chicken, so I just jumped to him, but guess what again? We both ended up hanging for our lives! God that was soooooo insanely stupid!"

It was only Miwako who found it funny, but not them, they looked at the sky and imagined where Nomiya's spirit could've gone too that time since they could already imagine as well that he'd probably looked all white that time.

"Oh c'mon guys! That was sooo long ago, both I and Nomiya moved on from that silly accident. That's why he goes crazy whenever he hear those bells ringing!"

"Oh so that's why…" Takemoto said as he just smiled at Hagu who still wore a worried look on her face.

"C'mon!!! Don't be sad Hagu-chan, I'm sure Nomiya will be able to forget all about it when he gets married himself."

Everyone just smiled and proceeded to the reception hall.

At the front were Mayama and Rika, seated beside each other, looking really happy. At that time, words weren't enough to describe how Mayama felt, but again, like the old times, Rika was just professional as ever, and just smiled to everyone who greeted her, and smiled to her new husband as well. The picture was just so perfect, and intangible.

Meanwhile, Takemoto, Hagu, Morita and Yamada were all seated in one table, while Miwako and the others were at another table, not too far from where Yamada's were. Even if they were that far, Nomiya could tell how Yamada was trying hard to stop herself from crying.

"_Hold on there, Yamada…"_

He wanted so badly to go to her and just get her away from that place but he can't. Not with all those people around them, he didn't want to disrespect the new couple, so he just stayed firm in his seat, also trying to stop himself from going to her, because he believed that she'll be able to bear the pain, for now.

Mayama suddenly stood up, held his glass cup, and gently patted it with the silver spoon on his right hand.

"May I have your attentions please? Now, I'd like to hear the messages from my closest friends! And I'd like to start with Mr. Takemoto Yuuta, the one guy who could bear all my crazy doings when we were still in college. C'mon Takemoto, don't be such a cry baby!"

The guests just whispered to each other and laughed at Takemoto who was already blushing because he already felt so embarrassed, but he proceeded to the stage anyway.

"Mayama you meanie!"

His voice was heard over the microphone, the guests couldn't help but feel sorry for him and laughed again.

"Before anything else ladies and gents, I'd like to congratulate my friend here, Mayama Takumi, and Miss Rika Harada, no, Miss Rika Takumi, for successful wedding!"

"Ladies and gents, I just want to tell all of you how a meanie and idiot Mayama was before. He'd always bully me and get me to do stuff which were horrible! Like taking a bath on his newly built 'Comfort Room', well he is the only one who could dare call it a comfort room when I was already half-naked when it collapsed! But, even with all those atrocities from him, Mayama is the best friend anyone could ever have. Even when he's already very busy with his job, he still finds time to attend our gang's birthday parties, christmas parties, new year celebrations, and other various feasts we hold everytime! Mayama is one of the jewels I hold dear, next to Hagu, Morita, Yamada, and everyone else who's close to me. So that's why, I'm really happy for you Mayama-kun! Congratulations again!"

The guests clapped as Takemoto clapped and smiled at the couple. The next to give a message was Morita.

"Mayamaaaaaa!!! I can't tell you how much I miss our bachelor days already! Oh well, I AM still a bachelor hahaha, you're going to have babies soon and I'm goonnna miss you sooo much!!! Can you adopt me pretty please?" there he goes again making those puppy eyes, Mayama was already blushing in his seat as well, but the guests just giggled and were amused by Morita.

"Everyone! I'd like to let all of you know how much a slave Mayama can be!!! Oh Rika-san, you better not hesitate to slave him for the next of eternity!" he just flashed a big, wide grin on his lips and continued.

"Mayama is sooo the best! Not because he treats and feeds us all the time, but because he protects us as well. To be serious, he's like, oh no, not only like, but already a big brother to us. He doesn't like to see one of us getting hurt, because it would hurt him as well. So that's why, cheers to Mayama and Rika! May they have a lot of babies to come!"

Morita received thunderous applauses, but received a pinch from Mayama.

"Baka!" Mayama thought to himself, but he just found Rika giggling at her seat, and found himself laughing as well.

The next to give her message was Hagu, who was dressed in cute outfit that time, that the guests mistook her as a child.

"At first, I was really afraid of Mayama, because he looked really tough and obnoxious, but then as time passed, I found him to be a really good friend. Like when I got hospitalized, he rushed to the hospital to see if I was okay, Morita is right as well, but Mayama is really protective, and I'm not only happy, but also grateful to have a friend like him. Congratulations again guys!"

The guests were simply pleased with her cuteness and formalness.

Finally, the next to say her message, was Yamada.

Takemoto, Hagu, Morita, Mayama, and Nomiya, were eagerly waiting for her to rise from her seat.

_Do I really have to give a darn speech?! I should... Mayama's my friend and I don't want to disappoint him_.

She rose from her seat and proceeded to the stage.

Hagu was secretly praying in her seat to let Yamada have the courage to do so this once, while Nomiya was still trying to hold himself. And Morita, just supported her by showing her a 'thumbs up', to which Yamada replied by smiling.

She heaved a sigh, but she knew this was the right thing to do.

"Mayama... I've known this man for years already, and I can say he's quite an idiot. Why I say this? Not just because of that silly look he plants on his place everytime Rika-san is near, or the fact that he never stops puffing his cigarettes whenever he has a big problem, but because... Because he spends too much of his time protecting us that he sometimes forgets about his own self. Mayama, I'm pretty sure life will be easier for you now since Rika-san will be beside you for the rest of your life. I, we, all know that you love her so much, and we're just so happy for you that you two are finally married... I just wish the both of you happiness, and may you never stop loving each other until time stops... Congratulations again..." with that, she turned to the couple and smiled at them. But, Mayama could tell she was holding her tears, but he secretly thanked her and smiled as well.

Hagu and Nomiya couldn't help but feel sorry for her, but they were also thankful since she was able to pull through and give her message.

After that day, the guests slowly left the hall, and the newly weds did as well. Nomiya searched for Yamada until he finally found her at the balcony.

"Hey there..." he said as he went towards her and stood beside her.

"Oh, hey..." she said. From the corner of her eyes, he could tell she was crying.

"Yamada... Please stop crying..."

"Yeah I know Nomiya, but, please... Just let me be for now..."

It pains him to see her like this, to see her frustrated and hurt.

"You know Yamada, we should be happy for them... You should stop crying too, if Mayama sees you like this the next days to come, he'll end up worrying again..." he kept thinking of the right words to say to her that could make her stop crying and just realize.

"I know, I know all of that Nomiya, but I don't know! I've already told myself to get over this a million times but I just can't! I'm still lost Nomiya, still lost, and maybe you don't probably realize that because I know you've never experienced something as painful as this!"

On impulse, Nomiya grabbed her and hugged her. His hug was so tight that Yamada was able to hear his heartbeats that were fast.

"Don't say that Yamada... I, too, can feel your pain. Since the day I knew about your unrequited love for Mayama, I started to feel for you. I had this unexpected urge, to stop you from crying, to heal your heart. So please don't say something like that, because everytime you cry, I feel the pain surging in my heart as well..."

"Nomiya..."

For the first time, Yamada felt happy. She thought that nobody cared about how much pain she was feeling, there was still this one guy who was able to bear hearing her hurts and cries. Nomiya Takumi. Although he had the same surname with the man she still loved, she finally knew he was different. From all what he said and did, she could see herself in him, the things he said were the exact same things she wanted to say to Mayama, she just wasn't given the chance to do so. But now, she finally understood the meaning of being 'loved'.

"I love you Yamada, more than anything else in this world."

"Nomiya... Thank you..."

She hugged him again, and this time, the tears stopped falling from her eyes, and a new ray of hope was present in both of their hearts.

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DONE!!! Hehehe, please, if you like my story, don't just save it in your favorites! Leave a review as well, even if it's short, please do!^_^**


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